Rebels reflect on 49-13 win over Greer

Byrnes WR Adonis Edwards caught his first touchdown of the season in the Rebels’ comfortable win over Greer.

If there were ever doubts about the intensity of the Byrnes-Greer rivalry, those were silenced Friday night before the Rebels and Jackets even kicked off at Dooley Field.

During warmups, players from both teams gathered at the Greer midfield logo and jawed at one another. Some pushing and shoving — and allegedly, spitting — followed before the teams were separated.

“We’ve got to be more composed,” said Byrnes head coach Reggie Shaw. “I always tell the team that men manage their emotions. Boys can’t.

“That kind of pre-game stuff is a distraction, and if you’re not careful, it can get you kicked out of the game.”

Thankfully for the Rebels, no players were ejected and the teams settled their differences on the field. Byrnes got off to a blazing start, eventually downing Greer 49-13.

Byrnes running back Tre’ Segarra put the team on his shoulders in the first half, coming away with three early touchdowns. It was par for the course for the freshman, who’s busted onto the high-school football scene in his first four career games. Segarra finished with 68 yards rushing and two touchdowns to go along with four receptions for 39 yards and a receiving score.

Like most of the Rebel starters, Segarra didn’t play in the second half with Byrnes taking a 42-6 lead into the locker room.

“We wanted a lot of guys to play tonight, that was our goal,” said Shaw. “We lost our JV game because of lightning, so the goal was to try and get two games out of one. We challenged our starters to take care of business in the first half so everybody could play in the second. That’s not a slight on Greer, that was just our goal coming in.”

Byrnes quarterback Andrew Stevens looked great under center for the second straight game, completing 16 of 18 passes for 236 yards in just the first half. Stevens targeted junior wide receiver Adonis Edwards early and often, a name surprisingly not mentioned often throughout the season so far.

“I didn’t really know they were going to target me as much as they did, it just kind of happened in the moment,” said Edwards. “The coaches called some great plays and they worked.”

Edwards finished with four receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown. The second-quarter TD reception was Edwards’ first of the season.

“It felt phenomenal being able to get into the end zone,” Edwards said. “It feels good to be able to contribute to the team by doing what I love and showcasing my talents. But none of it would be possible without the coaches, the team, and God.”

The Rebels will return to Nixon this week to take on Wren in hopes of moving to 4-1 on the season. Byrnes took out the Hurricanes 42-7 last season, but Shaw knows an improved Wren squad isn’t one to take lightly.

“We’ve learned our lesson about respecting everybody and preparing the same for everybody,” said Shaw. “You’ve got to be locked in against everyone to always play your best ball.”